Degree Name

MS (Master of Science)

Program

Communicative Disorders

Date of Award

8-2011

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Kerry Proctor-Williams

Committee Members

Wallace E. Dixon Jr., Teresa L. Boggs, Brenda Louw

Abstract

The temperament literature available that involves children with communication impairments is limited but promising. The purpose of this study was to investigate the temperamental profiles of children with autism spectrum disorders, primary language impairments, phonological/articulation impairments, and combined phonological and language impairments. Participants included 38 children who attended the East Tennessee State University Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at the time of the study or in the past 10 years. Parents of eligible participants were asked to complete demographic and temperament questionnaires about their children. Results indicated that the temperamental profiles of children with communication impairments differed significantly from typically developing children in terms of the superdimensions Negative Emotionality, Effortful Control, and Sociability/Affiliation. Temperamental differences were also noted between diagnostic groups. While the results of this pilot study are promising, further research is necessary to investigate the intricacies of the relationships identified in this study.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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